


A Lily By Any Other Name...

by AcesOfSpade



Series: Ace's Random One-Shot Collection [26]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/M, Fluff, Getting Together, James is a Dork, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 15:17:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8922121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcesOfSpade/pseuds/AcesOfSpade
Summary: Lily Evans works in the market selling flowers. James Potter is the crown prince of the kingdom who fell in love with Lily the first time he met her. This is the story of how they (finally) got together.
Secret Santa fic for my friend Lucy (mostlypoptarts) over on fanfiction.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So hey, I didn't anticipate it being this long. Oh well. Just know Lucy, it's because a) I love you, and b) I didn't want it to end. I came to an ending though, as dissatisfied with it as I am. I hope you like it!

Prince James Potter was the kind of prince people adored. He was friendly and fun, and not as strict and tyrannical as other princes from neighbouring kingdoms. He made a point to engage the villagers who he came across, and make them feel appreciated. One particular villager had caught James’ attention, a spitfire of a woman who worked in the market. He believed her name was Lily, and she sold flowers. A fitting profession for someone named after a flower. He visited her sometimes, just to buy flowers to give to her. He thought it was romantic, but she seemed to think it was weird.

 

Lily Evans sold flowers in the village market to get by, as her family had kicked her out for being a witch, which was ridiculous because the royal family were all magically gifted. Her parents and sister just looked down on those with magic, believing them to be freaks. She had to find a job and a place of her own when she was just eleven years old, and she ended up under the care of a woman named Minerva who worked in the village as a teacher. Minerva became a mother-figure for Lily, even now at 18. When Lily needed advice, she went to Minerva. Minerva did her best to give her some, even if she had never gone through the same thing. Take Prince James’ advances for example. Minerva was a spinster, having never married, so she didn’t know how to deal with flirtation. Lily seemed to think Prince James was being creepy, but Minerva thought it was adorable that he was trying to flirt through flowers.

 

One spring afternoon, Lily had returned to her market stall with fresh-picked roses, placing them in a display vase and arranging them nicely for presentation. She placed the vase next to one of lilies, smiling softly at her arrangement. She turned back to face the rest of the market, people-watching until someone came to buy flowers. Spring was always her best season, as the flowers were in full bloom. Over the winter, she had to sell other things, as she couldn’t very well sell flowers if there weren’t any to sell.

 

Lily became so caught up in her people-watching that she didn’t notice someone had approached the stall until they cleared their throat. Snapping out of her trance-like state, Lily blushed lightly as she caught sight of Prince James with an amused look on his face.

 

“People-watching?” James chuckled. “It is a rather enthralling pastime.”

 

Lily coughed awkwardly into her hand, adjusting her posture so she was standing straighter. “What can I do for you today, your Majesty?” she asked politely.

 

“Three white lilies please,” James smiled. “It is my mother’s birthday, and she adores lilies.”

 

“That is very sweet of you,” Lily commented, turning to select three nice lilies from the vase. She sought out a ribbon to tie around the stems to hold them together, handing them to Prince James. “Three knuts,” she told him.

 

James reached into his pocket for the coins, placing three of the bronze pieces on the counter with a smile, accepting the flowers from Lily. “Thank you, my dear,” he smiled. “Mother will love them.”

 

“I am sure she will,” Lily said with a soft, almost sad smile. Lily wished she had that kind of relationship with her actual mother, but at least she had that with Minerva.

 

James bid Lily a good afternoon, turning to head back to the castle.

* * *

The next day, James was back out in the market, wandering the stalls and just browsing the wares curiously. He wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just anything that caught his fancy. When he came across Lily’s flower stall, he stopped to chat, smiling broadly.

 

“Good morning, Miss Evans,” James nodded in greeting, eyeing the flowers behind her.

 

“Good morning, Prince James,” Lily nodded back, sighing inwardly when she noticed him eyeing the flowers. “Can I get you anything today?”

 

“Do you have any gloxinia? They are red, and rather beautiful,” James asked, thinking he spotted some behind her.

 

“I do,” Lily nodded, turning to find the vase. “How many would you like?”

 

“Just one,” James told her, smiling at her kindly.

 

“Alright,” Lily nodded, finding a nice gloxinia in the vase and plucking it out. She turned back to James, handing him the flower with a soft smile. “Four knuts,” she said.

 

James reached into his pocket for the coins, placing them on the counter and accepting the flower from Lily before handing it right back. “Do you know what the gloxinia has been symbolized as?”

 

“I do not,” Lily shook her head, accepting the flower with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Love at first sight,” James explained, chuckling softly at her amused expression. “The perfect flower to give the lady I adore.”

 

“Is that so?” Lily muttered, a light blush creeping up her cheeks. She had been trying to deny it to herself, and to Minerva, but Lily was starting to fall for James and his adorable means of flirting with her.

 

“It is,” James nodded. He paused for a few moments before he spoke again, almost seeming nervous. “I wished to ask you something, Miss Evans,” he said softly, looking down at the counter.

 

“What is it?” Lily frowned slightly, wondering what would make him nervous like that.

 

“My mother, she is holding a grand ball in my honour to celebrate my 18th birthday. I was wondering if you would accompany me?” James muttered quickly, figuring she’d reject him like she usually did when he asked her out.

 

Lily bit her lip as she thought, weighing her options before choosing one of them. “I would be honoured, Your Highness,” she smiled. “It might be fun.”

 

James’ eyes snapped up to look at Lily, a shocked expression on his face. “You mean that?” he muttered in surprise, hazel eyes wide.

 

“I do,” Lily nodded.

 

James’ face split into a grin, which made Lily’s chest flutter. He was very attractive, and when he smiled like that, he was even more attractive. “Wonderful!” he beamed. “Do you have a dress to wear?” he asked.

 

“My mother may have one suitable enough,” Lily said. “She used to work for the old royal family, and was invited to a few balls.”

 

“Ah, lovely,” James smiled. “I am sure you will be as beautiful as always.”

 

The light blush that was still settled on Lily’s cheeks darkened at the compliment, a small smile settling on her face. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she muttered.

 

“Please, just call me James,” the prince insisted. “Your Highness is much too formal for the lady I am taking to a ball.”

 

“Of course… James,” Lily smiled, liking the way it felt to say the prince’s name to him in a conversation like this. Maybe she did have it bad for him, like he did for her. She would have to talk to Minerva about this all later.

 

James happened to glance up at the sky, frowning ever so slightly. “I must return home for dinner now before Mother scolds me for being late. I will see you tomorrow to discuss the ball further?” he said hopefully.

 

“I will expect to see you then,” Lily smiled, which made James sigh in relief.

 

“Until then, goodbye Miss Evans,” James smiled. Before he could turn to go, Lily placed a hand on his arm to stop him.

 

“If I am to call you James, you must call me Lily,” she stated, letting go of his arm.

 

“Of course, Lily,” James smiled before turning to head home, still smiling widely.

 

For the rest of the day, Lily had a fluttering in her chest and a dopey smile that just wouldn’t go away. When she finally closed up her stall for the day, she returned home to Minerva. Minerva knew something had changed in Lily the moment she stepped through the door with a smile on her face, and she was almost certain it had to do with the prince.

 

“Good evening, Minerva!” Lily called out, heading for the kitchen to make dinner.

 

“Good evening, Lily,” Minerva smiled from the kitchen, turning to face Lily when she entered the kitchen. “You seem happy, my dear. Is it the prince?”

 

“It is,” Lily nodded. “He has asked me to accompany him to the ball his mother is throwing in his honour.”

 

“Lily, that is wonderful!” Minerva smiled, hugging her adopted daughter. “And I assume you accepted his invitation?”

 

“I did indeed,” Lily chuckled, hugging her back.

 

“Does this mean you have feelings for him?” Minerva asked hopefully. Minerva thought Lily and the prince would make an absolutely adorable couple, so she was hopeful that Lily accepting means she felt for the prince.

 

“I believe I do,” Lily said softly, a small smile on her face. “He is charming, all things considered.”

 

Minerva chuckled, shaking her head fondly. “I see a bright future for the two of you,” she commented, turning back to the meal she was preparing for the two of them.

 

Lily chuckled as well, turning to help her make dinner.

* * *

James arrived at Lily’s market stall at noon, smiling at her in greeting.

 

“Hello, Lily,” he smiled with a nod.

 

“Hello, James,” Lily smiled back. “It is nice to see you.”

 

“You as well,” James nodded. “I do hope you talked to your mother about borrowing a dress. If not, I am sure I could help you find one.”

 

“I did talk to her,” Lily nodded. “She has one from the last ball she attended with the old royals, which she is going to help me alter to my size.”

 

“Splendid,” James commented. “You have two weeks to alter it then, as the ball is two weeks tomorrow, on my birthday.”

 

“I shall work my hardest then,” Lily nodded. “Is there anything else I should know?”

 

“Mother wishes for it to be a masquerade, which would require you to wear a mask,” James informed her.

 

“I shall enjoy making one then,” Lily grinned. She loved making things, even if she sometimes had to use her magic to help her.

 

“What colour is your dress, by the way? So I know what colours not to wear,” James asked, back-tracking to the topic of her dress again.

 

“It is a light gold, with red accents,” Lily said, trying to picture the dress in her mind to remember the colours. “My mother made it herself,” she added.

 

“That is amazing,” James commented. “You say she worked for the old royals? What was her duty?”

 

“She was their seamstress,” Lily stated. “She was invited to the balls so she could make sure none of their outfits ripped.”

 

“That would be a tedious job,” James commented. “Our seamstress, Mary, does the same thing for us.”

 

Lily chuckled, nodding. “She said it was. She was constantly fixing outfits at balls, as they would step on the hems of their dresses or run into things in their suits, tearing holes in them.”

 

“I have never done that,” James chuckled in amusement. “Though I have been run into and had champagne poured down the front of my suit,” he commented. “Poor Mary had to find me a whole new one to wear so she could clean that one.”

 

“That sounds awful,” Lily frowned. “Did the person apologize?”

 

“She did, yes,” James nodded. “She had not been paying attention to where she was going. It was an accident.”

 

“At least she apologized,” Lily shrugged. “A great many people would not.”

 

“Indeed,” James nodded, glancing up at the sky again. “Alas, it is almost dinner time. I will see you another time, my dear.”

 

“I look forward to seeing you,” Lily smiled, waving as he turned to head back.

* * *

It took Lily a week and a half to get the dress altered. Minerva helped where she could, making sure it fit Lily perfectly. Minerva also helped Lily make a mask to match the dress, though both witches heavily relied on their magic for that.

 

The day before the ball, James had stopped by to ask where to pick Lily up. She told him where she lived, saying she would wait outside for him. When the time came the next day for him to pick her up, Minerva was standing at her side looking proud.

 

“You must be Mrs. Evans,” James smiled at Minerva, offering his hand. “Prince James.”

 

Minerva chuckled, shaking his hand and her head. “McGonagall, actually. I adopted Lily when she was 11.”

 

“Ah, that was very kind of you,” James commented. “You have an amazing daughter, Mrs. McGonagall.”

 

“I like to think so,” Minerva nodded with a fond smile.

 

Lily watched the exchange with a smile. James was a kind man, that she could tell. She wasn’t surprised she’d fallen for him in the end, because he was exactly her type: caring, handsome, and fun.

 

James turned to Lily, offering her his arm. “Shall we?” he asked as she looped her arm through his. “I have a carriage waiting just outside the market.”

 

“We shall,” Lily nodded with a smile, allowing James to lead her away.

 

When the pair arrived at the castle, they put on their masks as they entered the ballroom. Lily glanced around in awe, having never seen anything this fancy in her entire 18 years. There was a small symphony playing on a stage in the corner, the sound of a harp ringing throughout the large room. People in fancy clothes milled about, some with flutes of champagne. Whenever one of them spotted James, they came over to wish him a happy birthday before disappearing into the crowd once more.

 

It wasn’t long after they arrived that James’ mother spotted her son and made her way over. She regarded Lily with a smile, nodding to her.

 

“James, darling, is this Miss Evans?” Queen Elizabeth Potter inquired. “The one you speak so highly of from the village?”

 

A light blush appeared on Lily’s cheeks hearing Elizabeth’s words. “That would be me,” she nodded.

 

“Take off the mask for a moment, darling? I would like to see if you are as beautiful as James keeps saying,” Elizabeth requested kindly.

 

Lily nodded, her blush darkening as she slid off her mask. Elizabeth chuckled softly at the blush on her cheeks, a small smile tugging at her lips.

 

“I am going to have to agree with James, darling. You are beautiful,” Elizabeth smiled as Lily put her mask back on.

 

“T-Thank you, your Majesty,” Lily muttered.

 

Elizabeth shook her head fondly, shooing the pair off to go dance. The symphony had begun playing a waltz, so James offered Lily his arm. She took it, getting into the proper position for a waltz. Minerva had taught her how to dance when she was thirteen, so she knew the basics of what she was doing. Thankfully, James took lead, showing her what to do when she messed up.

 

As they danced, Lily tuned out the rest of the ballroom and just focused on James. Her head was resting against his chest, the sound of his heartbeat overpowering the music. It was comforting, hearing his heart beating against her ear like that. James moved with practiced ease, guiding Lily across the floor in a simple waltz.

 

As the symphony’s song came to a close, James and Lily stopped dancing somewhere near the edge of the dance floor. Lily didn’t want to pull away from James quite yet, finding comfort in his body heat.

 

“You are a wonderful dancer,” James commented.

 

“Thank you,” Lily muttered, a light blush dusting her cheeks. “Not as wonderful as you, though. You have probably done much more complicated dancing in your lifetime.”

 

“I have not, actually,” James admitted. “I got too immature during my lessons, so Mother canceled them. What I just did is all I know.”

 

Lily giggled softly at his admission, shaking her head fondly. The two fell into silence after that, Lily leaning on James’ side and James’ arm around Lily. They watched everyone else dancing happily, and James would thank anyone who came to wish him a happy birthday. Most didn’t give Lily a second glance, until a boy about her age with dark hair and silver eyes approached James with a grin.

 

“James!” he beamed, patting the prince on the shoulder. “Happy birthday, mate. Is this Lily? The one you never shut up about?”

 

It was James’ turn to blush as he nodded. “It is. Lily, this is Sirius. He is, for all intents and purposes, my brother.”

 

“It is nice to finally meet you,” Sirius nodded, holding out his hand for Lily to shake.

 

“It is nice to meet you as well,” Lily smiled, shaking his head. “I take it you were adopted then?”

 

“I was,” Sirius confirmed. “My parents were allies of Elizabeth and Franklin, though they disapproved of my life choices,” he shrugged. “Elizabeth and Franklin took me in after my parents disowned me out when I was 13, seeing as James has been my best friend practically since birth and I already basically lived here anyway.”

 

Lily chuckled softly. “I see,” she mused. “That was very kind of the King and Queen, taking you in like that.”

 

“Mother and Father adore Sirius as much as they adore me,” James commented. “It was only natural he come here after Walburga and Orion disowned him.”

 

Lily frowned ever-so-slightly, wondering why those names sounded familiar. When she finally realized why, her eyes widened a little. “You are a Black,” she realized. “Though it seems you do not fit the mold the Black family has upheld for centuries.”

 

“Indeed, I was born into the noble and most ancient house of Black,” Sirius nodded solemnly. “My younger brother Regulus has become the sole heir, and the entire family pretends I never existed.”

 

Lily frowned. “That is ridiculous. You obviously exist.”

 

“The Blacks are… odd,” Sirius shrugged. “Anyhow, I should go find Remus. He does not like these kinds of things when he is alone.” With that, Sirius headed off with a wave, disappearing into the crowd.

 

“Who is Remus?” Lily asked, turning to James.

 

“Sirius’ partner,” James answered. “Remus has been a good friend of ours since childhood, and it took the two of them much too long to get together,” he said jokingly.

 

“Ah. What is she like?” Lily wondered, making the assumption that Sirius’ partner was a woman.

 

“ _He_ is rather quiet and bookish,” James said, gently correcting her pronoun usage.

 

“He?” Lily muttered, frowning. “Is Remus part of the reason Sirius was disowned?” she asked quietly. She had nothing against those kinds of people, but she knew families like the house of Black were not as accepting as the villagers.

 

James nodded sadly. “The Blacks are… conservative in their views of men who love men. Sirius felt that was ridiculous, and asked Remus out anyway. He was the proverbial last straw, but Sirius does not regret it at all.”

 

“That is sweet,” Lily commented with a small smile. “He chose love over his restrictive parents.”

 

“It is,” James agreed, turning back to the rest of the room to watch people laughing and having a good time. He enjoyed his mother’s balls, because they were always so friendly and exciting. Right then, an obviously drunk man was dancing with a potted fern in the corner, oblivious to the people laughing at him.

 

Over the course of the rest of the night, James and Lily danced a few more times, and each time Lily got lost in the sound of James’ heartbeat against her ear. At the end of the night, James walked Lily home, despite the walk being well over an hour. They chatted about nothing in particular the entire time, their hands entwined and swinging between them. Lily’s laughter could be heard echoing in the empty village, as well as James’ voice.

 

When the two arrived back at Lily’s place, Lily turned to face James with a smile.

 

“Tonight was wonderful, James,” she said. “I am thankful you invited me.”

 

“Of course,” James nodded with a smile. “I had a great time with you. I am glad you came.”

 

Lily bit her lip for a moment, weighing the pros and cons of what she was thinking before deciding the pros outweighed the cons. Pushing herself onto the balls of her feet so she was taller, she placed a quick kiss to James’ lips, smiling shyly when she lowered herself back to the ground.

 

James smiled softly, leaning down to kiss Lily properly. Lily kissed back, placing a hand on James’ cheek and one on his chest.

 

When the two broke apart, both were smiling. After a few moments of silence, James spoke.

 

“Would you like to have dinner with me and my parents sometime?” he asked hopefully. He knew his parents would get along with Lily, as Lily reminded James a little bit of Elizabeth.

 

“Of course,” Lily nodded.

 

“Tomorrow, then?” he asked. “Father is returning from his travels tomorrow morning.”

 

“I would love that,” she smiled. “Until then, good night, James.”

 

“Good night, Lily,” James smiled, kissing her cheek before turning to head back to the castle with a wide smile on his face.

* * *

James came by the next evening to retrieve Lily, who had dug up her best dress for the occasion. She waited outside her house for him, smiling widely when she saw him walk up. He smiled when he saw her smiling, grinning by the time he got to her.

 

“You look wonderful,” James commented, offering her his hand. She took it, smiling back at him.

 

“Thank you,” she nodded, letting him lead her to the castle. It was a nice day, and the sound of chirping birds echoed through the market over top of the usual chatter. They talked about nothing in particular as they walked, most of the conversation being James asking about different market vendors and Lily telling him about them. Once they arrived at the castle, James nodded to the guard as they entered. The guard only raised a curious eyebrow at Lily, but said nothing. He knew better than to question the prince.

 

James led Lily to the dining hall, where the King and Queen were already seated. Sirius was there as well, Remus at his side looking awkward and nervous, as he usually did around the royal family. James sat across from Sirius, Lily taking the seat next to him.

 

Franklin gave Lily a once-over as she sat down, smiling softly when he was done. “You must be Lily,” he commented, to which Lily nodded. “It is wonderful to finally meet you. James has been talking about you since he was 11 and first visited the market with his mother.”

 

Lily blushed, ducking her head so no one would see it. She’d first met James just after she’d been taken in by Minerva, and he seemed so arrogant back then. He’d grown out of it though, and he was actually quite compassionate.

 

Elizabeth chuckled softly, shaking her head at her husband. “Look what you have done,” she teased. “It is alright, Lily. My dear husband likes to poke fun.”

 

Lily’s blush slowly drained from her cheeks, and she looked back up at the rest of the table. Her gaze landed on the boy sitting next to Sirius, the one with the face full of scars. She frowned ever-so-slightly at the sheer number of them, but tried not to let it show.

 

“You must be Remus,” she smiled.

 

The boy nodded, though he didn’t say anything. It was the day of the full moon, so he was speaking as little as possible. It was a miracle he’d come to dinner at all, but Sirius had insisted he be there, so he was.

 

“Tell me about yourself, Lily,” Elizabeth prompted gently. She wanted to know more about the villager who had captured James’ heart so strongly.

 

“There is not much to tell. I was kicked out of my parents’ home at the age of eleven, and was adopted by a wonderful woman named Minerva. I run a flower stall in the market, and in the winter I sell hot soup,” Lily shrugged, as if that were the most normal thing.

 

“Why did your parents kick you out?” Elizabeth frowned, not understanding why a parent would kick their child out. She took in a child that was kicked out by his parents, but she knew Orion and Walburga, and she knew they were horrible people.

 

“Because I am a witch,” Lily said simply. “My parents are not accepting of those with the gift of magic.”

 

“That is absurd,” Franklin frowned. “They do realize that we all have the magical gift, yes?” he added, meaning the royal family.

 

“They do,” Lily nodded. “They do not approve of the fact that magical folk have been ruling this kingdom for many generations. They believe you should be replaced by non-magical folks.”

 

Franklin’s frown deepened. “And why should that happen? The Potter family has done a wonderful job running this kingdom since the fourth century.”

 

“I know, your Majesty,” Lily nodded. “The Evans family has held this belief just as long.”

 

The room fell silent as the kitchen staff brought out the food, placing it on the table and bowing or curtsying before they left. Once the food was on the table, they each passed around the platters, placing what they wanted on their plates. They were silent as they ate, occasionally requesting a platter be passed back to them.

 

When dinner was done, the kitchen staff cleared the table and the six who had eaten stood. James offered Lily his arm, which she took, and the two followed James’ parents to the library. Lily blinked in awe at the sheer size of the room, and the number of books lining the walls. She’d never seen this many books in one place before, and it was making her head spin.

 

Franklin and Elizabeth sat at their usual table by the window, while Sirius and Remus wandered off so Remus could find a new book. James and Lily sat on the bench under the window, a few feet away from where James’ parents sat. Lily curled up next to James, tucking her legs underneath her and resting his head on his shoulder. Elizabeth couldn’t help but coo softly at how natural they looked like that, a small smile on her face.

 

“So you said you are a witch?” Franklin commented, wanting to know more about her. “Do you have a wand?”

 

Lily nodded, reaching into her sleeve to pull out the object in question. “10 ¾ inches, willow, dragon heartstring,” she said proudly, spinning it slowly between her fingers. “Minerva bought it for me when she took me in.”

 

“That was nice of her,” Franklin smiled softly. “Did she teach you magic as well?”

 

“She did, yes,” Lily replied. “She is the only teacher I have had, but she is a wonderful teacher.”

 

“She sounds wonderful,” Elizabeth commented. This Minerva woman sounded like the kind of mother Lily needed, especially after her own parents kicked her out.

 

“She is,” Lily smiled fondly. “She used to work for the old royal family, you know,” she added. “I believe it was your parents, your Majesty,” she said, looking over to Franklin. “Minerva McGonagall, she was the seamstress.”

 

A smile spread across Franklin’s face that lit up his eyes. “Ah, Minerva!” he beamed. “I remember her. She is a splendid woman, I am glad she adopted you.”

 

Lily chuckled softly at how Franklin lit up, having grown up hearing fond stories of him from Minerva when she was younger. The conversation drifted from there to more about Lily, question about her childhood and such bouncing around. She answered all of them, including the ones about her parents and sister Petunia. She rarely spoke of them, but she felt comfortable talking about them with the royal family, as odd as it sounded in her head.

 

At the end of the night, James walked Lily home again. They watched the stars as they walked, Lily pointing out different stars she knew the names of. Once they reached Lily’s home, they paused for a few moments. Lily stood on the tips of her toes to give James a kiss, which he happily returned. When they broke apart, James smiled warmly at her.

 

“We should do this more often,” he commented. “It was wonderful.”

 

“I would not mind that,” Lily said with a small smile.

 

“Once a week?” James suggested. “I am sure Mother and Father would not mind at all.”

 

“Once a week it is,” Lily said with a firm nod. “I will probably see you tomorrow at the stall, so until then, goodnight James,” she added, kissing his cheek before turning to head inside.

 

“Goodnight, Lily,” James called after her, turning to walk back to the castle.

* * *

Once a week turned in to twice a week, which turned into every night. Like clockwork, James would leave to retrieve Lily for dinner, they would eat, then sit in the library and talk. Remus and Sirius occasionally sat in the library with them if the full moon wasn’t too close, and Lily was rather fond of Remus. He reminded her of herself, though more scared of things. She could easily see him as a brother-figure in her life.

 

After months of dinners, Lily’s 19th birthday was fast approaching. James had a plan as to what he wanted to do for her, and he had Minerva helping him. She had been invited to a few of their dinners to reminisce with Franklin about his childhood, and James had gotten her help for his surprise.

 

The day of Lily’s birthday came, and James arrived at her place early in the morning, before her stall would’ve opened for the day. He told Lily he would get her earlier that usual, so she was waiting outside for him. She smiled when she saw him, the smile that made James’ heart beat faster. Minerva was with her, nodding to James in greeting.

 

“Lily, Minerva,” James nodded with a smile. “Are you ready?”

 

“We are,” Lily said. She’d been told Minerva was coming with her, which had become nothing out of the ordinary by then.

 

The three walked to the castle, James and Lily hand in hand with Minerva walking behind them. Once they got to the castle, they went to the library, where James’ parents, Remus, and Sirius were all waiting. Sirius scampered over to give Lily a hug when they walked in, Remus trailing behind him so he could say hello. The full moon wasn’t for another few weeks, so he was his normal self.

 

“Happy birthday, Lily,” Sirius smiled when he pulled away. “You are the oldest of us, I believe. How does it feel to be 19?”

 

“The same as it felt to be 18,” Lily chuckled. “Though it does feel nice to be the oldest, even if only by a few months.”

 

“Happy birthday Lily,” Remus smiled, going in for a quick hug.

 

“Thank you, Remus. I take it you are feeling better today?” Lily smiled. She knew all about Remus’ lycanthropy, and she was always looking out for him and making sure he was feeling alright.

 

Remus nodded. “The full moon is not for another few weeks,” he told her.

 

As they talked, the group walking over to Franklin and Elizabeth, who were sitting on the bench under the window. Elizabeth was smiling fondly at the group of teens who were basically all her children at this point, even if only one of them was actually hers. When they got to the table by the window, everyone sat around it with Minerva at the head of the table and one couple on either side.

 

“Happy birthday, my dear,” Elizabeth smiled. “I wish you well on your coming year.”

 

“Thank you, Elizabeth,” Lily smiled. A few weeks after getting to know the Queen, the older woman insisted Lily call her by her name when she visited. It felt odd at first, but now it felt natural.

 

“I believe the boys have something planned for you?” Franklin commented, briefly locking eyes with his son, who nodded quickly.

 

“We do,” James confirmed, turning to Lily. “First things first, come with us,” he requested, standing up. Remus and Sirius followed suit, waiting for Lily. Lily stood, raising a curious eyebrow.

 

“Where are we going?” she asked as they boys led her out of the library.

 

“It is a surprise,” James grinned, taking Lily by the hand. He led her to the courtyard, where a light dusting of snow covered everything in a beautiful layer of white.

 

“The courtyard?” Lily frowned, raising both eyebrows in confusion. “Why are we out here? It is freezing.”

 

James grinned at her in response, simply making her sit on the bench by the fountain, which was empty until the snow melted. He reached into his pants pocket, taking out a small object Lily couldn’t see right away. It wasn’t until James got down on one knee that Lily understood what was going on. A hand flew up to cover her mouth when she saw the small box in James’ hand, and she could already feel tears welling in her eyes.

 

“Lily Evans, you captured my heart at the tender age of 11 years. I have flirted hopelessly with you for years, and you finally accepted a date. I am very glad you did, because you have become such an important part of our family here. I love you with all my heart, and everyone else adores you. Would you do me the honour of being my bride so you may become a proper member of the family?” James said softly, watching Lily’s beautiful green eyes widen as he spoke.

 

“Yes, absolutely,” Lily said with a quick nod, a few tears falling down her cheeks. James grinned, opening the box to reveal a beautiful ring. It had a thick gold band with two small emeralds on either side of a larger ruby, as well as engraved lilies along the rest of the outside. Lily gave James her left hand, and he slid the ring on her finger. Standing up, James sat next to Lily and leaned over to kiss her, which she happily reciprocated. Sirius could be heard whistling from a few hundred meters away, which made both Lily and James chuckle against each other’s lips. When they broke apart, Sirius bolted over to hug them both at the same time, grinning. Remus made his way over as well, smiling widely.

 

They headed back inside after that, as it was freezing cold out. James just wanted to be a sappy romantic and propose in the snow. Lily giggled when he told her that, shaking her head fondly. She couldn’t understand how she used to thing he was self-centered and arrogant, or even a jerk. He was such a wonderful person, and Lily wanted to scold her younger self for believing otherwise.

 

Back in the library, Minerva and James’ parents had been talking about what James was going to do, which drifted to stories of their own teenage romances. Elizabeth and Franklin had met later in life, having James even later. Minerva, on the other hand, had never had a proper relationship, but she was fine with that.

 

The three adults looked up when the others returned, smiling at the silly grin on James’ face. Franklin got up to go see his son, noticing the ring on Lily’s finger. James had gotten it specially made for her, wanting it to be something special.

 

“I believe a congratulations are in order,” Elizabeth smiled, standing up to go hug Lily and James.

 

“Thank you, Mother,” James smiled. He hadn’t stopped smiling since Lily said yes, and he didn’t think he’d stop smiling for a while.

 

“Thank you, Elizabeth,” Lily smiled. She had a fluttering feeling in her chest that wasn’t going away, which she figured was due to excitement and joy.

 

Minerva went over to congratulate them as well, proud of her little girl, for at this point, Lily was practically hers anyway.

 

The rest of the day was spent making wedding plans, as well as Lily receiving gifts from everyone else. Sirius gave her a copy of her favourite book, which she thought was lovely. She didn’t think Sirius paid much attention to what she talked about. From Remus, she got a book about flower meanings, which amused her for some reason. Elizabeth and Franklin got her a new pair of boots, as they noticed she needed a new pair. Minerva’s gift made Lily’s eyes tear up again, because she gave Lily her locket, the one she always wore. It was shaped like a heart, with a small sapphire in the middle of it. She had told Lily once that it was a family heirloom, passed down from mother to daughter for quite a few generations. It was then that Lily knew for sure that she was Minerva’s daughter, Rose and Arthur Evans be damned. Minerva cared about her in a way her parents never had, and she loved her like a mother should.


End file.
